Barrels on the Brandywine highlights area wineries

By DENNY DYROFF, For the Journal Register News Service

Thursday, February 28, 2013

Several years ago, the Brandywine Valley Wine Trail’s annual Barrels on the Brandywine established itself as one of the most popular late winter/early spring events in the area. The 2013 edition of Barrels on the Brandywine, which is the 10th annual staging of the event, will get underway this Saturday and continue on both Saturdays and Sundays through the end of March.

Barrels on the Brandywine passports are available at any of the Wine Trail member locations for $25. The passports entitle holders to tour, taste and participate in activities at all eight member wineries and to receive a Wine Trail logo glass. The event offers a wide array of special events at each of the wineries.

There will be special barrel tastings with the winemaking team at the Chaddsford Winery(632 Baltimore Pike, Chadds Ford, 610-388-6221, www.chaddsford.com) in the winery’s cellar and in its tasting room during Barrels on the Brandywine. The winery will also host a variety of food vendors throughout the month: Sum Pig (March 2), Purple Picnic People (March 3, 10, 17), Justine’s Cuisines (March 9, 24, 30) and Moonlight Catering (March 16, 23, 31).

In the western part of the county, there will be a “Gumbo Kitchen” as well as cellar tours and barrel tastings at Twin Brook Winery(5697 Strasburg Road, Gap, 717-442-4915, www.twinbrookwinery.com). Cheeses and chocolates will also be available for purchase.

Kreutz Creek Vineyards(553 S. Guernsey Road, West Grove, 610-869-4412, www.kreutzcreekvineyards.com) will showcase its latest wines. Every weekend in March, the winery will be offering tastings from the barrel of wines that were started in the fall of 2012.

Paradocx Vineyard(1833 Flint Hill Rd., Landenberg, 610-255-5684, www.paradocx.com) will stage its annual “Cheeseburgers in Paradocx” event featuring Pennsylvania-produced cheeseburgers and side dishes, live music and tastings of its most recent wines.

Patone Cellars(664 S. Guernsey Road, West Grove, 302-545-7388, www.patonecellars.com) is offering tastes of its wines at a special location during Barrels on the Brandywine in 2013 — at Paradocx Vineyard. Visitors can kill two birds with one stone with a visit to the Paradocx site.

Black Walnut Winery(3000 Lincoln Highway, Sadsburyville, 610-857-5566, www.blackwalnutwinery.com) will offer barrel tastings of its new 2011 Semillon and 2011 Merlot as well as freshly-made popcorn. All visitors will have one chance to spin the “Black Walnut Prize Wheel” and everyone wins a prize.

Borderland Vineyard (332 Indiantown Road, Landenberg, 215-436-9154,www.borderlandvineyard.com) is the newest member of the Brandywine Valley Wine Trail and is set to make its Barrels on the Brandywine debut. The winery will host Designs by Francine, Artisan Chocolates, Daddy’s Kitchen and other local vendors for the Barrels on the Brandywine passport event.